Tehran says the United Arab Emirates is actively participating in the US-Israeli war on Iran and could face widespread retaliation if a ground invasion is launched, two senior Iranian sources told Middle East Eye. Officials said Emirati facilities have been used to support operations against Iran, alongside intelligence and targeting support tied to advanced infrastructure inside the UAE.
Iranian officials warned that any assault launched from Emirati territory would trigger an immediate shift in response, with strikes expanding beyond military and intelligence sites to include state-linked and commercial assets. The warning comes as Washington weighs a potential ground operation near strategic locations such as the Strait of Hormuz, with troop deployments and regional bases under close watch in Tehran.
Since March, Iran has struck energy infrastructure, ports, and other sites across Gulf states while avoiding full escalation with countries hosting US forces. That restraint, officials said, would end the moment any ground invasion begins, with any state involved treated as a direct aggressor.
